Vehicle wheel suspension system



Jan. 6,1953 E. s. Ma 'PHERsoN 2,624,592

VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed March 21, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 6, 1953 Y E. s. MaCPHERSON 2,624,592

VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed March 21, 1947 v6 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 7' 8 g I o 35 j? \i/ 1*, v z A7 0 A? @l v 57 H 35 s a; y

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VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed March 21, 1947 e Sheets-Sheet s Jan. 6, 1953 E. s. M PHERSON 2,624,592

VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed March 21, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 W I (Rummage Jan. 6, 1953 I E. s. M PHERsjoN fezjWm'rpia-swz Jan, 6, 1953 Filed March 21, 1947 E. s. M PHERSON 2,624,592

VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 czj%ar @waz Patented Jan..6, 1953 VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEM Earle S MacPherson, Detroit, Mich., assignor t General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Delaware Application March 21, 1947, Serial No. 736,262

24 Claims.

This invention relates to motorlvehicles and more particularly to an improved suspensionsystem by which the load carrying body is flexibly mounted upon road wheels.

It is an aim of the invention to reduce weight and save material by employing easily formed parts from readily available or conventional stock with a minimum of special and expensive machining operations and in a cooperative relationship to afford a reliable and sturdy arrangement for dependable performance over a long period without frequent attention to lubrication and other service maintenance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a longitudinal vertical section and a plan view of the running gear of a motor vehicle of the type having a pair of front steerable road wheels and a pair of rear driving wheels all independently joined to and supporting a load carrying body on which is mounted a power unit assembly comprising a forwardly disposed engine, a centrally located transmission and a rearwardly positioned difierential with universally jointed drive shafts connecting the sprung differential with they rear driving wheels; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a vertical suspension strut; Figure 4 is a section online i i of Figure 3; Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of, the shock absorber valving;

Figure 6 is a sectional view showinga variant at the upper. portion of the suspensionstrut; Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view of the rear wheel suspension system; Figures 8 and 9 are elevations as on line. 8-3 and line 9'," respectively, of Figure 2; Figure 10 is a plan viewof a front wheel suspension; Figure 11 is a detail view as on line Hl| of Figure 3;Figure 12 is a detail section on line l2-|2 of Figure 10 and Figure 13 is a detail section of a suitable hinged joint.

For a passenger automobile the load carrying body may be of the so-calledframeless or combined chassis and body type and which includes the floor I of the passengercompartment having a forward frame extension 2. Conventional steering linkage, not shown, ma be provided for the pair of front wheels 38 individually joined to the extension frame 2. The rear road wheels 4-% are independently joined to the body and are drive connected by universally jointed shafts 5-+5 with the differential mechanism within the housing 5 forming a part of the unit power plant mounted on the sprung body. In addition to the differential mechanism the power unit comprises the usual change speed gear box 1 and an 'internal combustion engine 8 located in the forward engine compartment ahead of the passenger compartment. Supporting tubes 9 and I0 enclosing drive shafting rigidly jointhe centrally disposed gear box with the engine 8 and the differential housing 6 and the unit is mounted on the body by a rear connection II and forward mounts l2 on both sides of the engine.

Each front wheel 3 is rotatably mountedon a suitable stub axle which is fixed to or. formed .as a part of the forged mounting member 13 joined to the body by a vertical telescopic strut l4 and by a pair of horizontal swinging links or levers .l 5 and 16. The latter are divergently related and are interpivoted at their apex on an axis extending vertically or normal to their axial lengthland both are hinged to the body at longitudinally spaced points and preferably by rubber joints which require no lubrication. As a typical example of a hinged joint reference is made to Figure 13 wherein the numeral I! represents an eye or outer joint member receiving a pair of bushings 18 of rubber or other similar elastic deformable material fitted to aninner member or central pin l9. Spaced retainer flanges on the pin squeeze the rubber bushings [B into tight engagement with the eye I! and pin I9 and the elasticity of the rubber accommodates swinging link. travel and affords a certain degree of universal joint action to enable relative link adjustment as well as misalignment and wide manufacturing tolerances. The interpivotal action at the apex of the swinging links 15 and it permits relative adjustment of the links in setting wheel caster or more particularly the variation in' length of the link-l5 will move the link l6 about its frame connected end so that its wheel supporting end can be shifted fore and aft. Accordingly the longitudinally extending link I5 is formed as a turnbuckle comprising separately formed opposite end pieces threaded into the ends of the central tube portion, the tube ends being split and provided with clamping rings to secure the parts in adjusted position. With the threads at opposite end of opposite hand the rotation of the central tube section will draw the end pieces together or spread them apart and such adjustment is accommodated by the rubber hinged joints for the links. Such fore and aft movement of the wheel connection will change the fore and aft inclination of the vertical strut 14 about Whose axis the road wheel is dirigible for steering purposes. At the outer end of the link 16 there is fixed a ball stud 20 having a bearing in a socket 2| formed integral with. the wheel mounting member. l3.

vA removable closure .plate.22 locates a spring pressed ball seat 23 within the socket 2| after the ball stud has been assembled through the open end of the socket. This ball joint accommodates caster adjustment and also the dlrigibility of the whee]. and it is located approximatel on the axis of the telescopic strut M.

The telescopic strut i6 is rigidly joined to the Wheel mounting member and for that purpose there is formed integral with the Wheel mounting member an inwardly projecting tubular sleeve 24, to be welded or press fitted to the lower end of the outermost tube of the telescopic strut assembly. Nested within the lower portion of the tube 25 and concentric therewith is a smaller diameter outer tube portion which slidably receives a bearing cap 27 threaded on the lower end of the inner tube 22:. Axially spaced from the bearing cap 21 is a bearing sleeve 23 slidably engaging the inner tube 28 and. fixed by means of a spacer ring with the upper end of the outermost tube 25. These widely spaced slide bearings afford lateral stability to the telescopic tube assembly and the spacing between the enlarged diameter tube 25 and the smaller diameter tubes 2s and 28 ailord circumferential clearance for utilization as a make-up chamber to contain hydraulic shock absorber fluid. At its upper end the small diameter outer tube portion is flared outwardly at four places, as shown at 3| in Figure 4, for contact with the wall of the outer tube 25. If desired the bottom of each of the outwardly pressed portions 3| may be provided with a drain opening 32. The lower end of the tube 25 is seated in a cutaway portion of a spacer plate or disc 33 fitted to the interior 1 of the mounting sleeve 24 and held in place by a hollow plug 34 threaded into the lower end of the sleeve 2 3. Secured in a central opening in the spacer plate 33 by means of a nut 35 is the lower end of a hollow piston rod 3% pro- .11;

jecting upwardly through the bearing cap 2'! for mounting a piston 37 slidably engaging the wall of the inner tube 28. A housing 38 threaded on the upper end or" the piston rod 35 encloses the coil spring 39 and a spring seated disc valve ill closing the end of the hollow piston rod and arranged as a one-way valve to open into the chamber ll within the tube 23 above the piston 31. Near its lower end the piston rod has one or more openings 42 which open freely into the chamber 43 formed by the tube 28 below the bearing cap 21. This chamber 13 at its lower end communicates through an opening is in the spacer disc 33 with the hollow portion "35 within the plug 351. Additional openings 46 in the spacer are aligned with the make-up chamber ll be tween the tubes 25 and 28 also to communicate with the space A one-way valve in the nature of a flat ring 48 and a disc spring 48 seats over the passages 46. Hydraulic fluid from the makeup chamber is drawn past the valve 5;? and into the chamber &3 whenever occasion requires to maintain sufficient body of fluid for proper shock absorbing action. From the chamber a series of openings 49 lead through the bearing cap 21 into the working cylinder 5%: below the piston 31 in the tube 28. This series of passages 49, as best seen in Figure 5, are closed at their inner ends by a valve ring 51 resiliently seated by a spring ring 52. Leading away from the working cylinder and through the bearing cap 2'! are a second series of passages whose outer ends are closed by a pack of spring rings 5 It will be understood that upon relative telescopic movement of the tubes the movement of the piston along with the outer tube and within the inner tube will vary the size of the chamber 59 and as the size of the chamber increases additional fluid will flow through the passages 49 into the chamber and from the chamber 43 which simultaneously is being decreased in size. Similarly the chamber 43 increases in size as the chamber decreases in size and fluid is displaced through the passages 53. The passages 49 and 53 are restricted according to predetermination and thereby control the rate of relative tube travel to check and dampen violent forces. Back pressure within the chamber 43 displaces liquid through the openings 52 into the hollow piston rod 36, such pressure closing the check valve 48 and opening the check valve 46 at the top of the piston rod for delivery of the hydraulic fluid into the chamber 4!. The excess supply within the chamber 4| is relieved by a series of openings 55 near the top of the inner tube 28 for return to the make-up chamber 5?. Thus continuous reciprocation of the telescopic tube will effect a circulation of hydraulic fluid from the make-up chamber and return and among other things insures lubrication to the relatively movable parts in the strut assembly. Thus the openings 55 are provided in the range of travel of the sliding bearing 29 and no attention needs to be given to this bearing nor to the bearing 21 which is submerged in the fluid. By preference the bearing sleeve 29 should be made of porous material which will retain a certain amount of the fluid. In cooperation with it the spacer sleeve 36 may be formed of similar material but in any event it may be formed of a shorter length to provide a trap reservoir or basin 56 between the upper end of the bearing sleeve 29 and the outer tube 25 so as to insure a supply of fluid and which should be of special consequence at the start of vehicle operation following a prolonged storage period.

The splash of the hydraulic fluid and any mist or vapor will also serve to lubricate the needle bearings 51 upon which the upper end of the strut assembly rotates upon a hollow stationary stub shaft 58 which is secured to th body by means of a resilient joint. To seal the sliding joint between the telescopic tubes there is provided a flexible bellows 59 secured at opposite ends to the respective tubes and which leads any overflow fluid which runs down the outside of the outer tube 25 back to the series of drain holes 60 through the wall of the tube near the lower end of the bellows. The lower end of the bellows is secured to the tube by a split clamping ring 6!.

Its upper end is clamped and seals the joint between a disc 62 and the lateral flange 63 welded on the upper end of the inner tube 28. The disc 62 has a dependent peripheral rim and it forms a seat for the upper end of a load supporting helical coil spring 64 whose opposite end is seated on a pad 65 which surrounds the outer tube 25 and has a central bearing lip 65 presenting an abutment surface on a spherical radius for contact with a mating bearing surface 8'! carried by a sleeve 58 embracing and secured to the wall of the outer tube 25. The load is transmitted to the wheel primarily through the outer tube and the coil spring nested in concentric relation therewith. The upper spring seat 62 has a series of upwardly extending studs 69 welded thereto to extend through the inner tube flange 63 and a cooperating retainer disc 70, there preferably being a sealing gasket ll between the flange 63 and retainer 10. At its central edge the retainer '!0 is formed with :an upwardly-extending portion 12-Ifor "engagement with-a peripheral-flange on the oute'r'rac'e 13 of a'thrust hearing. A shouldered portion. at the bottom of thebearing is seated within a correspondingly shaped .shoulder or depre'ssionbf the flange 63 and a series of antifriction balls are located by the race in .engagementwith the seat on themounting stud 58. Atritsupper end the outerrace 73 has a tapered nose portion'fitted to a sealing gasketheld within a sheetmetalretainer cupM whose inner end is clamped to the bearing shoulder of the stud -58by acentral sleeve portionof-a disc which cooperates with a 'rubberscollar "l6 surrounding the'stud 58 and servingto mount the sameon the body; A portion ofthe body is indicated inldotted linesLby the numeral Ti extending between upper and lower'flangesof the rubber'bushing 15 and through which a reduced neckportion :offthe bushingv extends. A locating abutment. or sheet metal disc :18 has a 'icentral'tubular portion .surrounding the neck of the bushingand extending intothe openingsof the-member l"! as-well as a peripherally extending portion which: cooperates with the bearing plate '55 in'containing the rub- 'ber therebetween. The head portion of the rubber bushing 16 is held in' place by airetainer washer 19' secured under a nut threaded on the upper end of the hollowmounting stud 58.

Afitting 8| is secured to the stud 58 andcommunicates the hollow bore of the stud by means of a'flexible tube 82 with a source of clean air. For-convenience the sourceof cleanairatthe front of the vehicle may be the: usualcarburetor air cleaners The commumcationithus.provided affords a breather to avoid lair underpressure being 'built up in the flexible walled bellows 1-incident to contraction'of thetelesccpic tubes.

The. combined load' supporting spring and shock'absorber as described is also incorporated in the telescopic vertical strut at 83*of1therear wheel suspension system. In this case, however, the mounting stud needs not provide for oscillation about the axisof the tubes and accordingly the mounting stud 5811 may be welded within the top of thecentral tube With'the omissioniof the antifriction bearings before referred to. For breathing purposes the interior. .of the :sealing bellows is vented through aupassa'gewayrin the hollow'mounting stud 58a and as shown in Figure 6 the outer end of the passage communicates with an air cleaner unit 84. This. unitmaytconsisttof a pair of cupped stampings-secured.to'getherzito enclose 'a' filter material for excludingfl'dirt. Otherwise the partsiillustrate'd in Figure 16 correspond generally to the similar parts shown in Figure 3, including therubber joint mountingror attaching the upper endof the strut to a body bracket 85.

At itslower end the strut terminates inia mounting sleeve 86 for pivotal connection with a rear wheel mounting member 81. Integral with the member 81- at its upper ends are a-painof longitudinally spaced and axial-lyaligned-eyes Bil- 88 housing a bearing sleeve for the-opposite ends of a'hinge pin 89'extending through' an apertured eye 90 constitutedby a lateral projection on the mounting sleeve 86'. The wheel supporting member 8'! is provided with an'outwardly extending hub on'which the wheel is 'rotatably mounted and the wheel is joined to a stub shaft or projection extending through a central opening in the member 81 and connectedby a universal joint 9| with an axle shaft 5 which in turn is also connected by a universal joint connection .93 with the.- differential -driving :mechanism; Also formed integral with the wheel supporting member. is a transversely extending. sleeve in which is. received .andrigidly secured, ;ast by means of welding, the outer end of a tie :rod-or link which is of an overall length .morethan half the rear. wheel treadso. that itextendsxbeyond thelongitudi-nal center Jineand isisecured atits inner end as at 96 torthebody by .means of: a -.rubberfhinged joint: In .the: region :of: the longitudinal center line of. the -b0dy;the swinging links for. the two road wheels will cross one another and to avoid interference these rods are offset. orbowed in oppositeadirections relative .to one. another, as best seen in Figure 8. To complete. the wheel and frame interconnection and take. longitudinal thrust a .forwardly extending link .9 1; is provided connected at oppositeends to the wheel -.mounting member 8! andthe body. This longitudinal link. has its opposite ends threaded and slotted to receive end connecting members and to beembracedby a clamping ring which holds the parts in adjustment. The threaded shanks of the opposite end pieces-rare threaded'on. opposite hand so that rotation of the central tube portion will drawthe end. pieces together or spread .them apart. The rearward endterminates in an apertured head .to receive a pin carried by the mounting member 87' with rubber sleeve insulation between the eye and the pin. A gooseneck pin is formed on thefrontend piece to carry the-rubber. insulationwithin-a body mounting eye, the several rubber joints-re.- ferred to yielding-to accommodate the rise and fall of the wheelswithout need for-arranging coaxially the 'pivot'joints for-the swinging links I claim:

1. Means tosuspend a load supporting body on a pair of road-wheels including a pair of wheel mounts, transverse arms'of greater length than one half the wheel tread, rigidly joined 'at their outer ends to the :wheel mounts and-pivctally joined at their inner 'endsa-to thebody beyond its longitudinal center line, said-arms crossing one another in the region of said center line and being oppositelyofiset'in said region, a pair of longitudinal distance rods pivotally joined :at opposite endsto the body. and therwheel mounts, vertically disposed telescopic struts: each v ha-ving its .upper portion joined to the body and its lower portion joined to a .wheel. mount: on'a longitudinal pivotal axls"and spring meansinterposed betweenthe. bode and-said lower st-rut portions.

2. Means-to support abody on: a wheelfor vertical-rise and .-fa1l. of the wheel relative to the body; includinga wheel mounting member, a vertically disposed telescopic spring-strut pivoted at opposite ends to the member. and-the body, a longitudinally disposed stay-bar also pivoted at opposite. ends to.:themember. and the and. a transversely disposed stay bar rigidly joined at one end to the wheel'mounting' member and projected beyond the body longitudinal center line for pivotal connection with the body.

3. The structure-of claim 2 wherein the-several pivotal connectionsare non coaxial in relation to one another and a yieldable substanceis incorporated in at leastcertain ofthe joints:

4. In the mounting ofa body -upon-a.pair of independently sprung wheels, a pair of "wheel supporting members having inwardly extending stay bars rigid therewith and crossing-operanother for pivotal connection'with the body beyond the-body longitudinal centerline; said bars :at

7 the point of crossing being relatively outwardly displaced for clearance, longitudinal stay bars joining the wheel supports to the body, vertically disposed telescopic struts pivotally connected at opposite ends to the body and the wheel supports, load supporting coil springs in nested relation with the struts and interposed between the body and the strut sections joined to said wheel supports, and a body carried differential drive unit having universally jointed drive shaft connection for both wheels.

5. In an independent wheel suspension for a body, a support having a wheel hub journal on which the wheel has rotatable bearing and a wheel torque reaction receiving and load transmitting coupler and attachment plate rigid with the journal projecting therefrom and through which the wheel brake mechanism is mounted, stay bar means projecting from the reaction plate in substantially horizon al direction for pivotal connection with the body, an upright telescopic strut embodying a load supporting spring and having a hinged connection at its top with the body, and a hinged connection between the lower end of said strut element and the reaction plate element comprising a longitudinally extending hinge pin carried by one of said elements and an apertured member on the other of said elements to receive and provide a bearing for the hinge pin.

6. In an independent wheel suspension system, a load carrying coil spring interposed between the body and a road wheel to resiliently support the body on the road wheel for relative rising and falling movement, lateral and upright struts cooperating with one another in accommodating said rising and falling movement, said upright strut being surrounded by the coil spring and being constituted by a circular piston and a liquid containing cylinder slidably receiving the piston, together with a bearing tube assembly fixed for movement with the piston and arranged in nested slidable bearing relation with said cylinder above and below the position of the piston therein and serving to relieve the piston of lateral stress, a backing plate and load receiving coupler member having non-dirigible means to rotatably mount a wheel thereon, lateral and upright strut connecting formations on said member for joining said lateral and upright struts thereto, one of said formations rigidly joining one of said struts to the member and the other formation cooperating to provide a pivotal connection with the other strut.

'7. In an independent wheel suspension system, a supporting member having means to rotatably mount a wheel thereon, an upright spring strut secured to the support, said strut and said support arranged for oscillation about the strut axis, a substantially transverse horizontal stay bar having a ball joint connection at one end with said support in substantially aligned relation with the axis of said upright strut and a pivot connection at its opposite end with the body, a longitudinal stay bar having its opposite ends hinged at longitudinally spaced points to the first mentioned stay bar and to the body and means to adjust the longitudinal stay to shift the position of its connection with the first mentioned stay and set wheel caster.

8. In an independent wheel suspension system, a supporting member having means to rotatably mount a wheel thereon, an upright spring strut having a rubber joint connection at its upper end with the body and secured at its lower end to the wheel support for oscillation about the strut axis, a pair of horizontal stay bars having rubber joint connections at their inner ends with longitudinally spaced portions of the body and hingedly interconnected at their outer ends, a universal joint connection between one of said bars and the wheel support to accommodate wheel support oscillation about the strut axis, and means to adjust wheel caster as accommodated by the several rubber joint connections by a longitudinal adjustment of one of said stay bars.

9. In an independent wheel suspension system, an oscillatable supporting member having means to rotatably mount a wheel thereon, stay bar means pivoted to the body and the wheel support to locate the latter horizontally, an upright strut secured at opposite ends to the body and the wheel support and comprising a pair of telescopic tubes each having a spring seat, a coil spring in concentric relation to the tubes and engaged by said tube seats, the connection between the strut and the body including a stub shaft fixed to the body and projected into the upper tube in rotatable and thrust bearing relation thereto whereby said strut and said member comprise a turn pivot for said wheel, and a shock absorbing piston fixed with the lower tube and slidably housed in the upper tube for coaction with fluid therein.

10. In the suspension of a body on a wheel, upper and lower tubes telescopically interfitted at adjacent ends to constitute a strut for connection at opposite ends with the body and the wheel support, said lower tube comprising a pair of concentric cylinders fixed one within the other in spaced apart relation, means to communicate said space between said cylinders with the space interiorly of the innermost cylinder and below the bottom of the upper tube, which space serves as a make-up chamber for shock absorber liquid, a load carrying spring seating on the upper and lower tubes, slidable bearings carried on the interfitted tube ends, each to engage the other tube, a piston fixed in relation to the outer tube and slidably engaged with the inner tube above the lower end thereof, a valve closure for said lower tube end controlling liquid fiow between the make-up chamber and the dashpot space within the tube and below the piston,

a flexible bellows surrounding the tubes and having opposite ends secured to the upper ends of the inner and outer tubes and an air breather vent for the bellows enclosed space extending within the inner tube above said piston for the maintenance of atmospheric pressure therein.

11. In the suspension of a body on a wheel, upper and lower tubes telescopically fitted together as a strut for connection at opposite ends with the body and the wheel support, a load carrying spring seating on the upper and lower tubes, said tubes being spaced apart to provide a hydraulic fluid make-up supply chamber, a cylinder forming a unit with the lower end of the outer tube and having an interior diameter substantially corresponding with the exterior diameter of the inner tube for a close sliding fit therewith, a piston fixed to the outer tube and slidable within the inner tube to induce fluid fiow through a restricted passage between the inner and outer tube chambers, means comprising a drain opening in the upper end of the inner tube wall for relieving excess fluid above the piston and means to insure return of said fluid to the make-up chamber, including a flexible bellows joined at its lower end with the upper end. of; the; outer.-tube and joined; at its: upper end :withithe inner itubev above said. drain v openme, there -;bein a communicating-ropening through. the. outer, tube wall near-the 'bottom'of thebellows interior.

12.-In the suspension of a body-cmawheet a. pair of nested upper. and lower tubes. constitutinga telescopiestrut for connection.atwq posite ends withjthe bodyand the wheel supporna load carrying spring seating on the ,;upper..an d lower .tubes,. the lower tube. including; .as: a.-.-unit assembly a cylinder slidably receivingand closely fitting, abearing cap -on -the end .of- :theiinner tube andanouter-tube spaced, fromthe-inner tube .to. aftord a supply-chamber. separated :from the interior of the-;cy1inder.-. by .the-vwallthereof, a slide bearing carried ontheuppenend. oi the outerftube to'engage the innertube and provided Wit/hi a fluid trapping groove to contain; av bearing, lubricant: supply, a pistonslidable upon-relativetube travel, withintthe inner tube,:to-.orce fluid through openings near the top of-thei-nner tube wall to. thesa-id ,fluid trapping groove, and; a; bellows seal surrounding theupperends or, and joinedv at opposite ends,- torboth tubesto prevent escape of said fluid.

" .13; In a load carrying st-ruthaving a body of incompressibleiliquidin its-lower portion-and atmospheric air in its upper portionabove-zthe normal: liquid; level, an outer tube V for connection. witlrag-wheelsupport, an. inner. tube-telescoped" within the outer tube vand formed near its: lower endzwith. a piston dashpot; chamber, slida-ble. hearings on the end .of .each; .tube-to engage the other ,tube, a :piston slidable in .the

ing on seats carried bythe respective tubes, and 1- a bellows seal joined to the upper endstof .both tubes with its interior space communicating with said breather passage.

14. a device of the character described,

inner. and outer telescopic: tubes: a bearing cap on the end of. the inner tubepsli dablyiengaging the. outer tube andhavingyaqpair oft-alassnges therethrough, one containing. a one -way :valve opening into. the innertubeandthe other ;containing. a one-way valve. .openinginto thetouter tube a third. tube rigidwith: and incasindithe outer tube, with. spaceitherebetween to tafiiordz. a maker-up. chamber, .said. .thirdtztube projecting beyond said outer. tube carrying atits endahearing to engage. slidablyiwith' theyinner.,tu.b.e,ya hollow piston rod rigid. with the; outer itllbei and projected slidably throughsaid.v bearing cap; a piston on said .rodslida'ble orrthe inner-tube upon-relative tube travel,. means freely oommunicating the. hollow .rod. with .the outer-tube beyond said bearingcap, acne-way valve communicating the hollow rod with and opening toward the inner tube chamber above the piston, a" one-way valve communicating' the hollow :rod with and opening away from said make up-chamher, and "overflowmeansfrom the inner tube chamber above said piston-leading to said makeup chamber.

15. Spring suspension comprising a series of control arms extending in divergent relation from a road wheel to a load carrying body and cooperating to resist longitudinal and transverse displacement while accommodating vertical movement, certain of said arms being inextensible and extending substantially horizontally andanother. .013v the. arms-extendin vertically and including apair of,- telescopic-.ho1low tubes, one.- or said tubes being of. stepped diameteitrin that one portion ofgits longitudinal extentisqof a different-.diameterv than .the remainingwp rtion of its: longitudinalextent, .the vzportionuof one diameter fitting closely to the other ,of said tubes and the remaining,portiombeing radially spaced. from said other .tube to cooperatetherewith-'inafiording a liquid receiving chamber, means to communicate said chamber withthe operating chamber which. retractably-proiectably receives the innermost tube, guide-bearing collarscarriedat the internested 6I1C1Sn0f$h respectivetubes, in sliding engagement each with the other :tube, spring abutments carried by, the respective tubes, a load transmitting ;spring surrounding the itubes.between.- said abutments to yieldingly resist tube-collapse;- a, shock absorber piston fixed tQ'thG outer tube .and slidable within thelower end of the inner tube, abodyv oftliq-uid contained withinthe tubes andthe chambered spacehetween the tubes in .pistonsubmerging and guidebearinglubricating relation and means affording restricted liquidflow:betweensaidtubes under impetus of relative piston sliding travel.

16. Spring suspension comprisinga seriescf control; arms extending in i divergent relation from a.- road .wheel to a loadcarryin rbody and cooperating-to resist longitudinal andtransuerse' displacement while accommodating ayer-tical movement; one. of the arms comprising vertically disposed and. nested'collapsible tubes. containing shock absorber -fluid,. a shock absorber piston fixed to one of the tubes andislidable within, the other .tube, a; coil. spring surroundingand seating on both tubes to yieldingly resisttheir collapse,- the=uppermost tube being hingedlyconnectedto the.;body-.and the-other: tubebeing fixed to a dirigible wheel carrier, said wheel carrier; being rotatable about theaxis of said tubes, another. of. said, arms. extending transversely :and having. one end hinged to the-body and ..its opposite .end; universally jointed, to --,the wheelcarrier :in line. with. the. axisr of said: tubes, andanother of. saidarms extendingsubstantially horizontally; in divergent relation to thelast mentioned arm and joined thereto atone endrwith its oppositeend hinged to the-body.

.17., Springsuspension comprising a series of control: airmen-extending. in; diver ent relation from a-:r0ad;wheel carrier-:to a;,load carrying body and cooperating to resist longitudinal and transverse -displacement==-whi-1e accommodating vertical movement, one: of, :the arms comprising vertically :disposed and; nested. collapsible. tubes containing shock absorber-fluid, ashoch absorber piston. .fixed, .to one; of-. the tubes and slid-able withinxthe other. tube; a,.coil springsurroundingiand seating 'onboth tubes toyieldingly resist their collapse; theupp e ne-h needw connected to the-body .and the :othertube. ibeine hinged to the'W-heelcarrier, another .of said. arms extending; horizontally; and transversely with: its inner .end hinged to the; body and.- its outernend fixed rigidlyato :the :Wheel: carrier. and. another of said arms extending lo itudinally-with opposite ends hinged'cto the :wheel carrierand lbody, respectively.

18. In the suspension of a body on a dirigible wheel, a vertically disposed strut comprising a pair of tubes telescopically nested one within the other and provided with spaced spring seats, a load carrying spring bearing on said seats to resist telescopic tube collapse, a wheel spindle fixed to the lower tube,a body mounted kingpin projected downwardly into the top of the upper tube and on which the tube is dirigbly journaled, a body of shock absorbing and bearing lubricating liquid within the tube to a normal standing level below the bearing surfaces between the kingpin and the tube, and a shock absorber piston fixed in relation to the outer tube and slidably housed within the bottom of the inner tube below said liquid level and arranged to lift the liquid level and splash lubricate the kingpin bearing upon spring deflection and tube telescopic travel.

19. In an independent wheel suspension system, an upright load carrying assembly rotatably mounted on a substantially vertical axis at its upper end to a body support and vertically pivoted at its lower end to a substantially horizontally disposed swinging body connecting strut,

said assembly including, a substantially vertically disposed telescopic guide and hydraulic shock absorber member, a primary load carrying coil spring surrounding said member, and a substantially horizontally disposed stub axle mounted on the lower portion of said member, said stub axle being adapted to rotatably support the wheel thereon.

20. In an independent wheel suspension system, a supporting member having means thereon to rotatably mount a wheel, an upright telescopic strut, means on said strut to support it for rotation approximately about its longitudinal axis on a vehicle body, a substantially horizontally disposed body connecting strut, means rigidly connecting said supporting member and said telefor rotation approximately about its longitudinal axis on a vehicle body, means rigidly connecting said supporting member and said telescopic strut for rotation together approximately about said longitudinal axis, a body connecting strut disposed at an angle to said telescopic strut, and

additional means on said supporting member pivotally joining said member to said body connecting strut.

22. In an independent wheel suspension system, a supporting member having means thereon to rotatably mount a wheel, an upright telescopic strut, means on said strut to support it for rotation approximately about its longitudinal axis on a vehicle body, means rigidly connecting said supporting member and said telescopic strut for rotation together approximately about said longitudinal axis, a body connecting strut disposed at an angle to said telescopic strut, additional means on said supporting member pivotally joining said member to said body connecting strut, and a second body connecting strut disposed at an angle to said telescopic strut and also at an angle to said first mentioned body connecting strut.

23. In an independent wheel suspension system, a supporting member having means thereon to rotatably mount a wheel, an upright telescopic strut, means on said strut to support it for rotation approximately about its longitudinal axis on a vehicle body, means rigidly connecting said supporting member and said telescopic strut for rotation together approximately about said longitudinal axis, a body connecting strut 1 disposed at an angle to said telescopic strut, ad-

ditional means on said supporting member pivotally joining said member to said body connecting strut, a second body connecting strut disposed at an angle to said first mentioned body connecting strut, and means pivotally connecting said last mentioned strut to said first mentioned body connecting strut.

24. In an independent wheel suspension system, a supporting member having means thereon to rotatably mount a wheel, an upright telescopic strut, means on said strut to support it for rotation approximately about its longitudinal axis on a vehicle body, means rigidly connecting said supporting member and said telescopic strut for rotation together approximately about said longitudinal axis, a body connecting strut disposed at an angle to said telescopic strut, additional means on said supporting member pivotally joining said member to said body connecting strut, a second body connecting strut disposed at an angle to said first mentioned body connecting strut, means pivotally connecting said last mentioned strut to said first mentioned body connecting strut, and means for adjusting the length of said first mentioned body connecting strut to efiect caster adjustment of said wheel.

EARLE S. MACPHERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,033,348 Rimailho July 23, 1912 1,956,669 Charles May 1, 1934 1,961,634 Faunton June 5, 1934 2,044,232 Tjaarda June 16, 1936 2,045,027 Sanford June 23, 1936 2,048,418 Warren July 21, 1936 2,057,893 Gross Oct. 20, 1936 2,078,364 Becker et al. Apr. 27, 1937 2,124,087 Smith July 19, 1938 2,152,660 Paton Apr. 4, 1939 2,163,255 Binder et al June 20, 1939 2,212,259 Binder Aug. 20, 1940 2,225,966 Beemer Dec. 24, 1940 2,285,954 Wahlberg June 9, 1942 2,322,890 Slack June 29, 1943 2,402,562 Lewis June 25, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 297,438 Great Britain 1- Dec. 13, 1928 316,910 Italy Apr. 18, 1934 347,150 France Dec. 23, 1904 435,361 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1935 

